Recent Projects

The City of Decatur approached PAC requesting a solution to monitor the level and sump motor status for a remote sump located at their Morgan County Regional Landfill.  With no signal wiring currently connecting the remote sump to the landfill’s SCADA system, PAC suggested a cellular option which would only require local power without the need for costly new cable runs.  PAC suggested the SignalFire Cellular Ranger as a solution.  PAC engineers and technicians developed a system which interfaced the SignalFire Cellular Ranger to the existing level controller at the sump using a series of interposing relays for contact multiplication.  This allowed the customer to monitor the sump status via a web-based dashboard and to receive alarm notifications via SMS text message on the customer’s mobile device. PAC also assisted the customer in setting up the entire system including a personal dashboard with the customer’s information and desired parameters. PAC installed this solution and tested all input points to verify accurate monitoring of the sump level, pump running status, and sump power status.

The Genesis Solar Energy Plant consists of two identical power block units, each including a Solar Field, two Steam Generation System trains and one Steam Turbine Generator.  Each Steam Generator System train consists of two casings (one High Pressure Casing and one Low Pressure Casing) with the electrical generator between the two casings.  The Steam Turbine Generator is a Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery SST-700 DRH (HP+LP) Reheat turbine designed specifically for solar power plant applications.  PAC I&C technicians assisted NextEra Energy with the first turbine overhaul performed for these units during a 10-week outage from December 2020 thru February 2021.  PAC I&C technicians were responsible for disconnecting all turbine supervisory equipment including all vibration probes and temperature instrumentation.  PAC also assisted the generator team in the verification of all generator winding RTDs, having to replace multiple RTD transmitters which were found to be faulty.  PAC was also responsible for re-connecting all instrumentation and calibrating these devices to OEM standards.  All equipment was then loop-checked by PAC technicians back to the plant DCS.  Finally, PAC I&C technicians assisted NextEra Energy staff with the monitoring of all equipment through the final start-up of the units.

NextEra Energy Gulf Power Plant Smith requested PAC to lead a turn-key project for the plant’s lift station alarms on their sump systems throughout the plant. The plant’s request was to install a wireless communication system at each lift station for the sumps in the plant so they will receive an alarm notification in the DCS, in addition to their existing local alarm. The requirements of the project for PAC was to purchase all equipment and materials, install equipment, perform DCS configuration, commission and test new system, and provide wiring diagrams. PAC, with the supervision of plant personnel, successfully installed and performed a check-out on the wireless communication system for each sump lift station in the plant. This work was successfully completed by following the correct job procedure for the given scope of work and applying safe work practices.

Mankato Energy Center (MEC) was originally designed as a 1:1 combined cycle to later add a second gas turbine and HRSG. Southern Power Company purchased the plant with plans to convert to 2:1. PAC worked with Southern Company Services- Technical and Project Solutions (SCS T&PS) to design, configure and commission Emerson Ovation DCS for the HRSG expansion. PAC assisted with development of domestic control narratives and the implementation of both domestic and vendor control narratives to DCS through logic and graphic development. PAC was a key contributor with all onsite control system commissioning activities with both Ovation DCS and the Asset Management System (AMS). PAC also assisted with loop optimization and tuning of HRSG systems such as feedwater pump speed controls, drum level controls, bypass pressure and attemperator, superheater and reheater attemperator, and numerous other systems. PAC manufactured and provided custom heated instrument enclosures that were able to withstand the low temperatures in central Minnesota. Project duration was approximately two years with commercial operation date of June 1, 2019.

The Southern Company Engineering Mankato Specification for SPC Mankato Energy Heated Instrument Enclosures called for 316 SS Enclosure able to withstand -50°F and maintain 70°F inside of the enclosure.

PAC designed a single and dual enclosure for this application. To confirm PAC could meet the specification we performed a test.

PAC inserted the enclosure in a cryogenic test chamber and used type T thermocouples in twelve (12) zones in the chamber.

Ten (10) thermocouples inside of the enclosure. All the thermocouples were connected to a Yokogawa digital recorder.

The Duration 45 minutes, Chamber temperature -199°F, Enclosure temperature 78°F

PAC provides loop tuning for the combine cycle feet for Southern Company Generation.

PAC provided engineering and programming services for a control system migration project. PAC helped program and design/reconfigure graphics for a migration from an Allen Bradley PLC control system to an ABB 800xA control system.

PAC Engineering worked with Southern Company Engineering and Construction Services (SCS-E&CS) to develop logic for both simulator and plant Ovation DCS. PAC was responsible for the logic development of the Start Up Burners, Direct Diesel Injection, and gasifier HP Steam System to Steam Turbine. PAC provided field checkout technician?s and calibration support for both DCS and SIS systems. PAC was responsible for SIS instrument calibrations, checkout and safety testing.

PAC was awarded the IC&E maintenance contract after SCS start up turned over to Mississippi Power. PAC currently provides test equipment calibrations and outage support.

PAC provided control wiring design for the interface of the Plant’s DCS to Zeeco’s duct burners system. Reviewed/modified existing DCS logic to be compliant with NFPA 85, Edit/build burner graphics, De-term existing control circuits for reuse on new burner system, Assisted plant with control wiring termination and labeling in new burner cabinets, hardware, and DCS remote I/O. Provide complete check out of burner system, commissioned Zeeco’s burner system, initial calibration of burner system instrumentation. Tuned new burner system for NOX and heat input, and tuned other BOP systems as necessary for integration of new burner system

PAC assisted with instrumentation and electrical support for Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems during major outages at Plant McDonough (Smyrna, GA) and Hobbs Generating Station (Hobbs, NM). During these outages, PAC was tasked with removing instrumentation and electrical components from the F-class and G-class Mitsubishi gas turbine housing and its surroundings, storing instruments and electrical components safely, and responsible for the reinstallation of instruments and electrical components after the gas turbine was constructed and turbine housing mounted back.?

PAC was also the IC&E lead to assist with tying in two new pneumatic valves that were being mounted on new piping running to the F-class gas turbine in Hobbs, NM. The R&D project required two pneumatic valves be mounted along piping for the gas turbine. PAC lead the way with planning the conduit run, running the conduit, pulling the cable from the control building to the instrument, landing the cable at the control building and instrument, setting up the two pneumatic valves, and run a new air-line to the new valves.

PAC assisted with instrumentation and electrical support for Toshiba Power Systems during major outages at Plant McDonough (Smyrna, GA) and Entergy Nine mile 6 CCGT Plant (Westwego, LA). During these outages, PAC was tasked with removing instrumentation and electrical components from the Toshiba steam turbine housing and its surroundings, storing instruments and electrical components safely, and responsible for the reinstallation of instruments and electrical components after the steam turbine was constructed and turbine housing mounted back.

PAC provided annual PSM instrument calibration services during a major outage.

Provided checkout and start-up services on a new coater machine, chemi-washer, and aux boiler during a new control system migration. The existing ABB system was replaced with a new Emerson Delta-V control system.